Date Night
by ComeBackWhen
Summary: Written for all1sees Tumblr Prompt - Cloud gets stood up on a date: he gets dressed & looks dapper as fuck and goes to the meeting place and waits. for hours. ASGZ are on their own date and when Cloud gets up to leave ASGZ stop him. cue beginning of ASGZC.
"I think this is the most darling thing I've ever seen."

Angeal glanced away from his cell phone to see what had caught Genesis's eye. Genesis nodded toward the entryway of the restaurant where an attractive young man stood clutching a bouquet of flowers. He was positively beaming at the hostess manning the front. He had obviously dressed with care. His dark slacks and light blue button up were immaculately pressed. He wore a layered vest that was obviously chosen to complement the blue of his eyes. His blonde hair was carelessly ruffled into spikes that oddly suited the look.

Angeal smiled, "His date sure is lucky."

"Right? I can't remember the last time I got flowers on a date." Genesis teased, nudging one of Angeal's broad shoulders.

Angeal chuckled, "It was four months ago. Zack hid your newest copy of Loveless after you slipped and called him a puppy in front of the cadets. One of the members of the Study Group got their hands on it and Zack felt so bad that he pulled out all the stops for his apology date."

Genesis rolled his eyes good-naturedly, "Of course you could pull that off the top of your head. Speaking of Zack, where are our wayward boys?"

"Hojo tried to catch Sephiroth for late night testing." Angeal's scowls were rare, but Hojo's mistreatment of Sephiroth was always cause for one, "Thankfully, Zack was on his way to change and heard the whole thing. He made up some story about an emergency in the slums so they could escape. They should be here any minute."

"I am thankful every day that Hollander is less of a nutjob than Hojo." Genesis lifted his wine glass in a toast, "I have no idea how Sephiroth puts up with it."

Angeal nodded and touched his beer glass gently to Genesis's glass of wine, "He may have superior strength and speed, but I believe we got the better end of the deal."

Genesis wrinkled his nose at that, but did not argue. Claiming his superiority was less fun when Sephiroth was not around to engage him. He found his eyes drawn back to the handsome blonde as the hostess led him past their booth to a table not far from where he and Angeal were sitting. The lighting cast their table into shadow to provide them a little privacy, but it was easy enough to look out on the rest of the restaurant. It was the reason they paid extra to ensure this booth was free for their date nights.

The spicy scent of the young man's cologne made Genesis's eyebrows arch in surprise, "He even smells good."

"Are you still talking about the blonde?" Angeal asked, tone laced with amusement, "You know a lesser man might be offended that you're checking out other men while you're on date with him."

Genesis leveled a flat look in his direction, "You're dating three men at the same time, Angeal. How insecure could you possibly be?"

Angeal leaned over and pressed a kiss to Genesis's temple, "I'm just tweaking your tail."

Zack bounced into the booth, sliding until his thigh pressed against Angeal's, "I thought you just reserved that for me. Ruff."

"I regret ever telling you about that letter to my mother." Angeal said, trying to fight the smile tugging at his lips, "At the time, the description was apt. You were the least focused new Third I had ever met."

Zack merely leaned over and gave Angeal a teasing kiss in response.

Sephiroth moved to the other side of the booth to sit beside Genesis, "Apologies for the delay."

"None needed, dear heart." Genesis picked up a glass of wine from the center of the table and held it out to Sephiroth, "We heard you were having a rough day at the office so we ordered you a glass of Banoran white."

Sephiroth accepted it with a grateful smile. He took a sip and sighed in pleasure. Genesis grinned and dropped a kiss on Sephiroth's shoulder.

"So what were you tweaking Gen's tail over, 'Geal?" Zack asked, flipping through the menu absently. He usually ordered the same meal, so it was more of a restless fidget than anything.

"Angeal-" Genesis growled in warning.

Angeal ignored him, "Apparently the three of us are just not enough for him anymore. You were ten minutes late and he was already eyeing attractive young men to replace you."

They all turned on a furiously blushing Genesis. Sephiroth hid a smile in his wine glass. Zack wiggled his eyebrows obnoxiously, "See something you liked?"

"The blonde at the table over there." Angeal said, nodding toward the young man in question when Genesis continued to be stubbornly quiet, "The one with the flowers."

The all glanced at the man as he nervously adjusted the placement of the flowers on the table. His date had obviously not arrived yet. He politely waved off a server's attempt to offer him a drink or an appetizer while he waited. Despite his missing date, his smile was still just as bright as it had been when he first caught Genesis's attention.

Genesis scowled, "I have an eye for beauty, that's all."

"He does look dapper as fuck." Zack agreed cheerfully. Angeal arched an eyebrow at him and Zack shrugged unrepentantly, "What? I call 'em like I see 'em. Dapper as fuck."

"My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess." Sephiroth said, a hint of teasing in his tone as he rested an arm along the back of the booth, behind Genesis's shoulders.

"Bite me, Sephiroth."

"Aww… flowers!" Zack said, cooing in delight, "I can't remember the last time I got flowers on a date."

"That's what I said!" Genesis replied, "It's sweet."

Zack scowled at Genesis across Angeal, "I gave you flowers like three months ago! Do you know how hard it is to get flowers in Midgar?"

Angeal smothered a laugh with his hand, trying to keep from drawing attention to their table, "We should probably stop."

"With our luck, we would draw the attention of the man." Sephiroth added.

"The poor trooper wouldn't know what to do with himself." Zack said, grinning wickedly, "Four of Shinra's top Soldiers checking out his hot little self."

They all turned to Zack in surprise. Angeal asked, "You know him?"

Zack shook his head, "I've more seen him around. He took the Soldier exams a few years back. Must not have made it. It's not surprising, he must have just turned fourteen when he got here. I think he's gonna try again at some point, I see him late at night sometimes with a training sword in the gym… but I've never talked to him or anything. His names… something Strife, I think."

A server came by to take their order, stopping their speculation. Talk shifted to more familiar things. They shared stories from mission they had participated in that week and ridiculous things that people had said during meetings or training. They made plans for the upcoming week around missions and meetings that were already planned. Zack ordered a Gongagan specialty appetizer that involved cheese soaked in brandy that was set on fire with a weak fire materia and much cheering.

Through it all, Genesis could not help but sneak glances at the blonde trooper. His date was nearly twenty minutes late by the time their appetizer arrived. He finally let his server bring him a drink and an appetizer of his own. The poor man checked his phone every few minutes, his smile dimming more each time.

Their meals came quickly after that and they all tucked into their food, letting conversation fall off into comfortable silence. When they were nearly finished, Zack noticed that Strife was still sitting alone, picking at his appetizer, "Whoa. He's still here… but where's his date?"

Angeal and Sephiroth spared a quick glance over towards the blonde. Angeal made a sympathetic noise in the back of his throat, "Poor guy. Looks like he got stood up."

"I can't believe anyone would stand up somebody that cute." Zack said, "I mean look at him!"

He finally seemed to realize that he had been stood up. With a dejected sigh, he flagged down his server, pressing some gil into her hand. She gave him a little smile and squeezed his shoulder before heading toward the back. He scooped up the flowers and picked his way around the tables.

Sephiroth glanced at the others. Genesis was pointedly not looking at the trooper, toying with the remains of his dinner on his plate. Angeal and Zack had such similar looks of heartbreak on their faces that it would have been comical under other circumstances. He caught Angeal's eye and arched his eyebrows in unspoken question. Their other boyfriends had made it more than plain that they found the young man attractive. Sephiroth could certainly feel for the man, never having known acceptance romantically until Angeal and Genesis had asked him to join their relationship. Angeal's lips curled up in a smile and he nodded slightly.

As the boy came past their table, Sephiroth caught his shoulder, "Excuse me… Trooper Strife is it?"

Strife stopped, eyes widening in surprise when he realized who had stopped him. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he found his voice, "Yes, sir. Cloud Strife, sir."

"No need for formalities, Cloud." Sephiroth said, letting his hand fall away from the man's shoulder, "We were about to order dessert. Would you care to join us?"

His eyes looked over the table carefully, taking in the way that Sephiroth's other arm was stretched around Genesis and his fingers rested on Angeal's shoulder. He glanced down at Angeal and Genesis's entwined hands and then over to where Zack was leaning against Angeal's other shoulder with his wide grin.

"I… uh, yeah." He looked back at Sephiroth, a smile slowly coming back to his face, "I think I'd like that."

Cloud looked down at the flowers in his hand and pulled a few loose from the bunch, handing them to Sephiroth. Sephiroth took them, charmed. Cloud then split the rest of the flowers up and gave a few to Genesis , Angeal and Zack each. Genesis laughed in delight, Angeal blushed faintly and Zack reached over and hauled Cloud to sit in the booth beside him.

"Looks like I was right, Gen." Angeal said mischievously, loud enough that Cloud would be able to hear him, "Strife's dates are lucky."

Genesis refused to be baited, "I guess none of us can complain about how long it's been since we got flowers now.

Zack laughed and tucked one of his flowers into the hair behind Cloud's ear, "It sure was sweet of you, Blondie, flowers aren't easy to find in the city."

Cloud blushed pink clear up to his ears, but his smile was brighter than it had been when he first arrived.


End file.
